Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



No. 894,128. PATENTED JULY 21, 1908. J. A. DOUGLAS & J. BARTLESON.

MAIL BAG GATOHBR AND DELIVERER.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.21.1908.

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N Jame s Barflasmz No. 894,123. PATENTED JULY 21,1908.

J..A. DOUGLAS & J. BARTLBSON.-

MAIL BAGOATGH'ER AND DELIVBRER.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 21.1908.

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, No. 894,123. I PATENTE D JULY 21, 1908.

' J. A. DOUGLAS 6; J. BARTLBSON.

MAIL BAG GATOHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED APILZI. 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. DOUGLAS AND JAMES BARTLESON, OF GRAND CHAIN, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAG CATCI-IER AND DELIVERER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES A. DOUGLAS and JAMES BARTLESON, citizens of the United States, residing at Grand Chain, in the county of Pulaski and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in mail bag catchers and deliverers, being ]particularly directed to a construction wherey mail sacks may be automatically picked up by and delivered from a moving car in a simple and eflicient manner.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a mail catcher and deliverer in which the delivery apparatus is carried by the car and adapted to be set by the operator to retain the mail bags to be delivered in position thereon against accidental displacement, the construction including a station crane or receiver adapted to support the mail bags to be delivered to the car and constructed to cooperate with and automatically ac tuate the delivery mechanism to release therefrom the mail bags initially carried thereby and at the same time cause said delivery mechanism to pick up the mail bags resting on the receiver.

The invention will be'described in the following specification, reference being had par ticularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the present improvement, the receiving and delivery apparatus being shown in the positions occupied just previous to the delivery and receiving operation. Fig. 2 is a section on' line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken immediately succeeding the delivery and receiving operation of the parts. Fig. 4 is a plan of the crane or receiver. Fig. 5 is a p an of the delivery a paratus. Fig. 6 is a perspective of one o the releasing arms. Fig. 7 1s a perspective of the trip lever. Fig. 8 is a perspectlve of the bag supporting arm. Fig. 9 is a perspective of the pick-up lever.

Referring particularly to the accom anying drawings, the present invention infiudes a delivery mechanism A designed to be carried by and operated on a mail car or the like and a crane or receiver B adapted to initially support the mail sacks to be picked up and receive those delivered from the mechanism Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 21, 1908.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Serial No. 428,315.

A, the receiver being fixed and positioned at the points at which it is intended to deliver or collect the mail sacks.

The delivery apparatus A comprises a main arm 1 mounted for relative swinging or rotative movement on-a pivot rod 2 secured in spaced ears 3 fixed to one upright 4 of the door opening of the mail car. To provide the desired extended bearing without excessive weight I prefer to form the arm 1 of comparatively narrow sectional dimensions, and to secure on the underside of said arm a depending bracket 5 carrying a bearing ring 6, and to form the pivot rod 2 of such length as to permit the upper surface of the arm 1 to bear beneath the upper eye 3, while the ring 6 of the bracket 5 bears on the upper surface of the lower eye 3. An extended bearing is thus provided which tends to maintain the arm 1 rigid except as respects its swinging movement, it being understood thatthe pivot rod 2 is removably secured in the eyes 3 to permit convenient disconnection of the parts when desired.

Secured upon the upper surface of the arm 1 is a spring strip 7, the inner terminal adj acent the pivotal support of the arm being fixed to the arm, while the opposite or outer terminal is free for independent movement relative to the arm, which will presently appear. A bag supporting arm 8 is carried by the spring strip adjacent the free endof the latter, this arm being of inverted U-shape, as shown more particularly in Fig. 8, and including a cross bar'9 and depending bars 10 and 11, the former of which is provided at its lower terminal with a hook end 12, while the latter, which is of slightly greater length than the bar 10, is bifurcated at the lower end to provide spaced parallel strips 13, the bifurcated portion of the arms 1 1 curving perceptively toward the adjacent arm 10. The supporting arm 8 is connected to the spring strip near the free end of the latter by a pin 14 passing through the strip 7 and through the cross bar 9 of the supporting arm, the extension of the pin above the cross bar 9 being adapted to receive the forward end of an operating lever 15, which lever is fulcrumed upon a standard 16 rising from the arm 1, the rear or operative end of said lever terminating adjacent the rear or pivoted end of the arm 1, so as to dispose said lever within convenient reach of the operator within the car. The function of lever 15 is to elevate the suplever is in the form of a slot.

- posed on the forward side of the arm with respect to the direction of travel of the car.

Pivotally supported in brackets 17 fixed on the rear side of the arm 1, adjacent the free end of the latter, is a trip lever 18, which is more particularly shown in Fig. 7. This lever includes an upright 19 having a forwardly curved upper terminal 20, the lower end of the lever being provided with a rearwardly extending weight plate 21. The lever is so mounted in the brackets 17 that the weight plate 21 will normally maintain the trip lever in upright position, the under surface of the arm 1 being recessed or cutaway at 22 to permit movement of the weight plate in the forward. swinging of the lever. I

The forward edge of the upright 19 of the lever is formed near the upper end with a shoulder 23, and said lever is so mounted relative to the free terminal of the spring stri 7 that when said strip has been elevated un er operation of the lever 15, the edge of said spring strip will engage the shoulder 23 of the trip lever and thereby support said spring strip and connected parts in the elevated or set position.

Secured upon the under side of the arm 1 and on opposite sides of the supporting arm 8 we arrange what may be termed releasing arms 24, of duplicate structure and more particularly illustrated in Fig. 6. These arms, which are in effect metallic bars, are recessed on their upper surfaces at 25 to receive the lower edge of the main arm, from which recessed portion the releasing arms are extended forwardly for a distance beyond the forward surface of the arm and are then bent into approximately U-form to provide supporting sections 26. From the reduced portions 25 the releasing arms are extended rearwardly beyond the rear surface of the arm and terminate in downwardly and rearwardly curved releasing hooks 27. At their connections with the main arm 1 the releasing arms 24 are spaced apart to permit the play of the depending bars 10 and 11 of the supporting arm between them, while beyond the respective side edges of the main arm the supporting arms converge toward each other so as to arrange the terminals of the supporting sections 26 in spaced and comparatively close proximity, and to dispose the releasing hooks 27 of said arms in equally close proximity, the lower terminals of the releasing hooks diverging slightly from each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The releasing hooks teams 27 of the arms 24 are so arranged with relation to the hooks 12 of the supporting arm that in the movement of said supporting arm the hook 12 thereof will ride between the re leasing hooks, with its extreme outer edge disposed slightly inward or slightly inwardly beyond the extreme outer edges of the releasing hooks. The supporting arm 8 is of such length that when elevated to engage the spring strip in the shoulder 23 of the trip lever, the bill of the hook 12 of the supporting arm will be disposed above the upper edges of the releasing arms, thereby providing a hook member for the reception of the mail bag rings, as will presently appear.

Pivotally mounted in the supporting sections 26 of the releasing arms is a pick-up lever 28, which is formed at a point intermediate its length with an elongated slot 29 for the reception of a pivot pin joining the supporting sections 26 of the arms 24, the relatively rear end of the lever being slightly upturned at 30 and adapted to be secured between the spaced strips 13 of the bar 11 of the supporting arm, whereby the pick-up lever is pivotally mounted in the releasing arms and operated on its pivotal support in the movement of the supporting arm. The forward end of the pick-up lever is sectionally reduced and formed with a terminalhook 31, whereby to permit the accidental release of the mail bags when picked up.

In connection with the delivery apparatus described I use a receiving member designed to be secured at mail receiving points. The receiver comprises a box or receptacle 32 of triangular shape in longitudinal section supported on uprights 33. A platform 34 is supported centrally of and in approximate alinement with the u per edge of the receptacle, walls 35 depenc ing from the platform dividing the receptacle into two compartments. Projecting vertically from the upper edge of the relatively forward wall of the receptacle is a rearwardly inclined protecting wall 36, and from the upper edge of this wall depends an oppositely inclined supporting strip 38, the lower edge of which is secured to the platform 34. The rear or outer wall of the rece tacle is also provided with a protecting wal 39 which rises vertically from the receptacle, and centrally of this wall and forming a continuation of the rear upright 33 is a holding strip 40, which extends through the platform 34 and inclines forwardly relatively thereto, that end of the strip immediately above the platform being spaced from the supporting strip 38. The forward face of the holding strip 40 adjacent its upper end is formed with an oval shaped recess 41, for a purpose which will presently ap ear. Rising in rear of the receptacle anc connected I the delivery apparatus as to engage the upper end of the trip lever in the operation of the device.

With the parts constructed and arranged as described'the mail bags 44 to be received into the car, which for the purposes of the present invention are preferably rovided with rings 45, are positioned on the p atform 34 of the receiver with the rings 45 thereof loosely inserted in the recess 41 of the holding stri 40 and at right angles to said strip, as clear y shown in the drawings. The mail bag 46 to be delivered from the car, which bag is also provided with a ring 47, is engaged with the hook 12 of the supporting arm after said arm, through operation of the lever 15 has been elevated to engage the spring strips 7 in the shoulder 23 of the trip lever. In this position of the parts the ring 47 will be engaged with the hook 12 and also encircle the releasing hooks 27 of the releasing arms, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The elevation of the supporting arm 8 also arranges the ickup lever 28 in approximately horizonta position. The main arm is swung outwardly as the train approaches the delivery point, by means of a handle 48, the pick-up lever projecting forwardly from the main arm and the hook of the supporting arm with the supported mail bag projecting rearwardly from said arm. As the car reaches the receiver the pin 43 carried by the first upright 42 will engage the upper curved end 20 of the trip lever 18, thereby releasing the spring strip 7. The spring strip immediately forces the supporting arm 8 downwardly with the effect to force the hook 12 of the supporting arm down between the releasing hooks and simultaneously elevate the forward end of the pick-up lever. Immediately preceding this operation the forward end.- of the pick-up lever has moved into the ring 45 of the bag 44 to be picked up, and as the described operation occurs the ring 47 of the bag 46 to be delivered is released from the hook 12 of the supporting arm by reason of said ring being held by the releasing hooks 27 as the supporting hook 12 rides downward. The elevation of the forward end of the pick-up lever immediately elevates the bag 44, while the bag 46 by release of its ring is delivered into the adjacent compartment of the receiver by riding off the releasing hooks 27 by gravity. A simultaneous pick-up and delivery is thus effected, it being obvious, of course, that the parts described are so positioned and proportioned as to permit the described operation. Any number of mail bags may be delivered or picked up simultaneously as several bags may be connected to one ring 45 or several rings each supporting a bag may be mounted in connection with the hooks 12. After picking up the bag to be received the main arm is again swung into the car and the bag detached from the pickup lever whereupon the parts are ready for a further setting for the next operation.

The apparatus described is .of simple form and will automatically effect the delivery and pick-up of mail sacks Without danger to the operator or bystander and without liability of injuring the sacks or the matter contained therein.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a receiving member adapted to support a mail sack, a delivery apparatus adapted to support a mail sack, and means carried by the delivery apparatus to be automatically actuated by the receiver to pick up the mail sack carried by the receiver and deliver to the receiver the mail sack carried by the delivery apparatus.

2. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a delivery arm, a pick-up lever carried thereby, a mail receiving hook carried by the arm, spring means for simultaneously operating said parts in one direction, and means for holding said parts against the operation of the spring.

3. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a delivery arm, a pickup lever carried thereby, a mail receiving hook carried by the arm, spring means for simultaneously operating said parts in one direction, and means for holding said parts against the operation of the spring, in combination with a receiver arranged to trip said latter means.

4. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a delivery mechanism comprising a swinging arm, a supporting arm mounted for movement with relation thereto, a spring connected with the supporting arm, a pick-up lever connected with the supporting arm, a hook carried by said arm, and means carried by the swinging arm to disengage the mail sacks carried by the hook in the movement of the supporting arm in one direction.

5. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a delivery apparatus comprising a main arm, a spring connected therewith, a supporting arm connected with the spring, a pick-up lever connected with the supporting arm, a mail receiving hook carried by the supporting arm, and releasing hooks carried by the main arm to cooperate with the mail receiving hook in the movement of the supporting arm.

6. A mail delivery and receiving apparatus including a delivery apparatus comprising a main arm, a spring connected therewith, a supporting arm connected with the spring, a pick-up lever connected with the supporting arm, a mail receiving hook carried by the supporting arm, and releasing hooks carried by the main arm to cooperate with the mail receiving hook in the movement of the supporting arm, said releasing hooks being arranged on opposite sides of the mail receiving hook and curving in opposition thereto.

7. A mail receiving and delivery apparatus including a delivery mechanism comprising a main arm, a spring strip connected therewith, a trip lever for supporting said strip in elevated position, a supporting arm carried by the strip and formed with a mail receiving hook, a pick-up lever supported by the main arm and operated in the movement of the supporting arm, and releasing hooks cooperating with the mail receiving hook to disengage the mail sacks from the mail receiving hook in the operation of the supporting arm.

8. A mail receiving and delivery apparatus including a delivery mechanism comprising a main arm, a spring strip connected.

therewith, a trip lever for supporting said strip in elevated position, a supporting arm carried by the strip and formed with a mail receiving hook, a pick-up lever supported by the main arm and operated in the movement of the supporting arm, and releasing hooks cooperating with the mail receiving hook to disengage the mail sacks from the mail receiving hook in the operation of the supporting arm, in combination with a receiver to engage and operate the trip lever to release the spring.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. DOUGLAS. JAMES BARTLESON.

Witnesses:

W. A. GAUNT, J. F. MAOKEY. 

